Bona fide

What bona fide means

Put simply, bona fide is part of the working vocabulary of a civil case. The short definition above covers the usual meaning. Still, a specific rule, statute or contract can give it a narrower meaning. For that reason, check how it is used in your own documents.

Where bona fide comes up

The term is used across many kinds of cases. For example, you may see it in pleadings, motions and court orders. To see it in context, browse the motions and procedures library or the Learn the Law topics.

How to research the term

First, read the term where it actually appears. A rule, statute or court decision may define it for its own purposes. Next, check whether your court has a local rule that uses bona fide in a special way. Then look at recent decisions from courts in your jurisdiction. They show how judges apply the term today. Also, remember that state law can differ from federal law. For that reason, use our state procedures guide to find your state’s rules. Finally, confirm every source is current before you rely on it.

You can read the current federal court rules online for free.

Related legal terms

• Bill of sale: a document showing that ownership of property was transferred from a seller to a buyer. In debt sales, a bill of sale often refers to a separate purchase or forward flow agreement and to a schedule listing the accounts sold.
• Binding: having legal force that must be followed.
• Binding authority: law a court must follow, such as a statute or a decision of a higher court in the same jurisdiction.
• Body politic: a people organized as a political community under a government, or the government entity itself as an artificial person.

Why precise terms matter

Courts read legal terms closely. As a result, knowing the exact meaning of a word helps you follow orders, rules and filings. Each glossary entry on Lawtopolis is short on purpose and links to the pages where the term is used.